1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to peanut harvesting equipment that digs peanut plants from the ground, gently combines at least two rows of plants into a windrow and inverts the plants so that the nut pods are on the top of the windrow thereby assuring proper drying conditions and minimum field losses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention is an improvement over my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,291 for a Peanut-Harvesting Machine that issued on Dec. 7, 1971. Basically, the present invention is directed to digger-shaker-inverters of the type generally exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,669,820, 2,722,794, 3,473,615, 3,454,100, 3,726,345, 3,750,865, and 3,847,225.
In recent years, considerable effort has been expended with respect to the development of agricultural machines which dig and distribute peanut plants on a field in windrows so that the crop may be cured or dried prior to further processing as by a peanut combine. In particular, various techniques for causing the peanut plants to be deposited in inverted condition in windrows have been developed in machines known as digger-shaker-inverter machines. Such machines first dig the peanut plants by severing the root system below the peanut pods, subject the plants to a shaking action as they are elevated by a conveyor to remove the soil and then transfer the vine mass onto an inverting apparatus that turns the plants upside down in a windrow so that foliage supports the peanut pods in uppermost, exposed condition. The chief advantages of inverting the plants are that it promotes faster and more uniform drying of the peanut pods, reduces time in the windrow so that there is less risk of damage from inclement weather, minimizes damage to the peanuts if rain does occur during windrow drying, provides a less favorable environment for mold formation during the windrow period, promotes cooler kernel temperatures as compared with peanut pods in contact with the soil, and lessens harvesting field losses.
However, as with any machine, digger-shaker-inverters are not entirely free from disadvantages or problems. In these machines, two basic approaches to accomplish the inversion are employed. One approach involves grasping the tops or foliage of the plants and turning them upside down in a positive manner whereas the other basic approach involves elevating the plants and then constraining them to roll over as they fall under the influence of gravity. Regardless of the prior approach employed, variations in the type of soil and in soil conditions such as moisture content, and the presence of weeds or grass can create problems including proper and sufficient dirt removal.